The Black Wizard's Wish
by The Kishin Sesshomaru-Kurai
Summary: A particular wizrd finds himself at a bizarre shop owned by an even stranger woman. Who is this Space Time Witch? And how does she know who he is? Oneshot


Author Note: This popped into my head when I started reading xxxholic, and I just had to get it out into the open. This is sort of my take on Zeref wanting Natsu to kill him and why Maru and Moro don't have souls...and why they have names that mean streaker and flasher. Enjoy! I own nothing but the story.

The black haired youth walked through the woods in sorrow. The plant life surrounding him was beautifully alive, yet his magic wanted nothing more than to wipe it all out. "Why...must I suffer in sorrow?" He looked around the vibrant forest. "When can I die and end it?" he asked to the forest. "When?!"

At his shout, the forest went silent. The birds stopped calling, the bugs went silent, even the leaves stopped rustling. Not a single sound was heard. His eyes fell, his sorrow returning, until he heard a soft chuckle. It sounded female, and very out of place in the wooded area. Curious, he walked through the brush, following the mysterious voice. After several minutes, he found a house in a large clearing. Stepping into the light, he got a better look at the property.

It was a largish building, oriental in nature, yet something he'd expect to see in elite Crocus. A wooden fence with half-moon decorations surrounded the well-kept lawn. Determined, the black haired man walked towards the building. Opening the small gate, he approached the out of place home, keeping his right hand in his robe to grab one of his books if need be. Much to his surprise, he made it all the way to the door with no incident. Extending his left hand, he hesitated on opening the door.

"Come in," called the female voice. "I won't bite."

Swallowing, he pulled the door open, only to be greeted by a wooden hallway. Not moving his right hand, he followed the corridor, as if an instinct. Soon, he came to a simple curtain. Moving it aside, he was greeted by the sight of his host.

She looked older than him, but he could tell she was just as ancient as he was. Her long black hair was draped over her right shoulder as she reclined on a couch of sorts with a bottle of good sake next to it. A long geisha pipe was hanging from her lips and ended at her hand, the smoke drifting around her. Her body was garbed in a low-cut kimono that was wrapped loosely about her. Her red eyes, eyes like dark blood, stared at him in quiet study. "Greetings," she said at last. "I welcome you to my store."

"Your store?" he asked. His grip on the book tightened. She practically reeked of unnatural power.

"Yes," she replied in amusement. "I run a special business in granting wishes to those who require my services."

"Well I don't care to purchase a...wish," he retorted. "I happened to find your house and that's all."

She chuckled, and he started sweating on the back of his neck. He lied to her, and she knew it. "Nothing just happens. It is all hitsuzen. You coming here would have happened regardless. Thus, you have a wish. Don't you, Zeref?"

He inhaled. She knew his name, yet she kept smiling at him. "How do you know my name?!" he demanded. "Who are you?!"

"I know many things, my dear Zeref. And you may know me as Yuko Ichihara," she replied. "Now tell me, what is it you desire?"

"I already told you, I don't-"

"It is not a matter of want," she cut him off. "It's a matter of hitsuzen. You have a wish that must be granted. And I really don't like it when people lie to my face."

He gritted his teeth before unleashing a wave of death magic at her. Much to his shock, she wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Please don't try that again," she asked. "It's awfully rude to try and kill someone like that. Especially when they asked you a simple question."

Zeref sighed. "Fine. I'll play your game." He looked into her eyes; black met red. "I wish to die."

Her smile dropped. "Unfortunately, I cannot kill you," she replied.

"So you wasted my time," he muttered.

"Not quite. I can still grant your wish. You will die, but not by my hand," said Yuko. "But first, before I tell you of your end, I will require payment. And yours is quite the price."

"Well what is it?" he demanded. "How much am I going to have to pay you?"

"That's not the problem," she replied. "I never accept money as payment. Rather, my customers pay me with objects of spiritual, personal, or unique value. And your payment has two parts."

Zeref pulled his hand out of his robes for the first time since finding Yuko's house. "How is my payment in two parts? I thought you were helping me die!"

She chuckled at how emotional he was getting. "I am. The first price is for that person's existence, and the second is for telling you who he is." She took a long drag from her pipe and exhaled the smoke. "Now for the person coming to existence, I will require a serious price, one you may be hesitant to pay."

Her eyes suddenly stared into his and he gasped when he felt himself tremble. "The price is your resistance to your magic's urge to kill. If it wants out, you cannot hold it back for more than a few seconds. It will get out and absorb life, whether you want to or not."

Zeref was silent as he thought it over. "Is that the only way?" he finally asked after a few minutes.

Yuko looked away. "It is the only thing you possess that is an acceptable price for such a wish." She looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. "Well, do we have an agreement?"

Zeref swallowed. Those eyes stared right through him. "Yes," he eventually coughed out. "I will pay your price."

Her eyes twinkled as he felt something get lifted off of him. He gasped as he felt his power spiral out, killing a fly that happened by. The force of the power he released caused him to drop to his knees in pain. "And now for your second price," she said.

"What is it?!" he gasped. "My ability to see?!"

She chuckled a bit at his tone. "Of course not. This one is much more manageable." Yuko pointed at his robes. "I would like the two demons you have stashed in your robes. I have need of assistants, and feel those two would be endlessly enjoyable."

Now on his feet, Zeref raised an eyebrow at her. "Why those two? They are hardly powerful, and are simply good for company. Hell, I don't even know why I made them to begin with!"

"But that's why I want them!" she said, all of her serious and mysterious attitude gone. She now had an expression like one an old friend of his once wore. "I get ever so lonely, and feel they would be most delightful!"

He sighed. _Why would not be surprised if this Ichihara woman is related to __**her**__, _he thought dryly. Nevertheless, he pulled out two of the books he kept on hand. "Here, the demons I have no need for."

Yuko regained some composure and accepted the two books. "Thank you, Zeref. And now for your information." Extending the end of her pipe over the table in front of her, the reflective surface started swirling.

_Scrying magic? Is that how she grants wishes? But if that's her magic, how did she take away the control I have over my magic?_ His thoughts were interrupted when a pink-haired teenager appeared in the mirror.

"Natsu Dragneel," she said. "The Fire Dragon Slayer; one of Fairy Tail's finest. You will encounter him at the close of X784, but your end will come seven years after meeting him."

"So, I simply wait for him to find me?" he asked after processing his own death date.

"You can, but I'd recommend spending time with an old friend of yours so he will find you at the right time," she replied while taking a swig from the untouched bottle, as if no longer keeping up an image. "Besides, I hear Tenrou Island is lively this time of year."

He nodded before bowing. "Thank you, Yuko."

"It was my pleasure, Zeref."

Sharing a nod, the black wizard left. When she felt he was gone, she picked up her two new books. Opening them both, her books spiraled out of her hands and became her new demons.

Both were female, and looked on the verge of pubescence and had pale skin, as well as no clothes to speak of. The one on the left had long, puffy, pale blue hair. A small pair of demon wings were at her waist. The one on the right had short pink hair. Instead of little bat wings, she had two little angel wings.

When the two saw her, they started beaming at ran to her laughing. "Mistress! Mistress!" they cheered before latching on to her.

Yuko laughed as she pet the two demons on the head. "Yes, I'm your mistress. Now then," she pointed at the blue haired one, "Since neither of you have a stitch of clothing, you shall henceforth be called Maru-dashi. And you," she told the pink counterpart, "to be similar yet different, will be Moro-dashi."

The two "girls", smiled and giggled before hugging her tighter. "Thank you, mistress!" they sang in unison.

"Now then," she said while getting off her couch. "I have the most adorable outfits for you two!"

+Years later: Earth+

Watanuki groaned as he worked on weeding Yuko's front flower bed. Somehow, all the flowers had died the night before, so Yuko had him getting rid of them. "What I want to know is since when did she even _have_ this flower bed?!" he complained.

"My apologies," said a soft voice. "I wanted to stop by, but Yuko hadn't put up the protective barrier yet."

The teenager yelped in shock. Standing on the other side of the fence was a black haired man in black robes with yellow bands on it. "Who are you?" he asked in fright.

"Papa! Papa!" came the harmonized cries of Maru and Moro. As the strange man walked through the gate, he chuckled when the little girls latched onto him.

"Well, it certainly has been a while you two." He patted them both on the head before they separated from him. They didn't stay off him for long, though. They each grabbed one arm, (much like they did with him, noted Watanuki) and dragged him towards the shop.

Yuko walked outside to greet them. "Ah, it has been too long, my old friend," she said with a large smile. "I see you've met Maru and Moro."

"I'd hardly classify us as friends, Yuko," he spoke with a betraying smirk.

"Yes well, I'm simply glad to see your getaway helped your attitude," she replied. "Now, is something wrong?"

His smirk vanished. "I met him last week," he said simply. "He's everything I had expected, so I came to thank you in advance for your assistance."

Her smile was filled with kindness, the likes of which scared Watanuki. (_Just who the hell is this guy?!)_ "It was a pleasure, my friend. May you finally find peace."

He bowed before starting to walk off. Maru and Moro started waving good bye from the porch as he left. Nodding to Watanuki, he walked through the gate and vanished as soon as he touched the sidewalk.

The confused teen looked at Yuko and was shocked at how regretful she looked. "Yuko-san," he started, getting her attention. "Who was that man? And why did Maru and Moro call him Papa?"

She looked at the gate in a distant manner. "An old customer of mine, Watanuki. He gave me Maru and Moro as part of his price." She turned back to the building, and said quietly, but not so much that he wouldn't hear her: "And I was the only one who could help him, even with repercussions.

**Okay, a little rushed at the end, but I was half awake when I finished this. Please read and review!**


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